Patent GB-1194528-A (GB)
Title: Method of Assembling an Article of Formable Material to a Support for the Article and apparatus for Carrying out the method
IPC: H05K13/04
Filed: 1969-03-10
Abstract: 1,194,528. Making electrical sockets; angular bending; stamping; shearing. AMP Inc. 10 March, 1969 [29 March, 1968], No. 12455/69. Headings B3A, B3E, B3Q and B3W. [Also in Division H2] A method of assembling an article, e.g. an electrical socket, in a hole in a support for the article comprises relatively positioning a blank for the article and the support with the hole in alignment with the blank, advancing a tool to form the blank generally to the shape of the article and further advancing the tool to insert the formed blank into the hole. A strip 32 of sheet metal blanks is supplied from a spool 30 and comprises partially formed blanks 34 connected to carrier strips 36 by slugs 38, each strip 36 having a row of indexing slots. The working parts of the apparatus are actuated by a double acting piston-and-cylinder unit 58 controlled by compressed air or other fluid. The feed assembly 50.-The unit 58 drives a slide 70 downwardly, to which is attached a feed cam 136. The cam pivots an arm 140 against the action of a spring 146 and a bifurcated end 152 of the arm drives a pin 154 leftwardly, as seen in Fig. 2, to move a feed slide 118, which carries a pivotally mounted feed finger 124. A bifurcated working end 130 of the finger engages in the indexing slots in the carrier strips 36 thereby moving a blank 34 under an insertion head 78. As the arm 140 pivots, a pin 164 at its upper end pivots a latch arm 158 and engages a hook 162 thereon. The arm 158 is also actuated by a solenoid 170 to release the arm 140 and hence the feed of the strip 32 can be interrupted in accordance with a taped programme: The solenoid raises the arm 158 on the return stroke of the slide 70 if it is required to insert a socket in the support, which comprises a printed circuit panel 28, at the next work cycle. The travel of the slide 118 is controlled by a screw stop 132 co-operating with a screw abutment 134. The shear assembly 188.-The slide 70 carries a shear cam 212, wherein is formed a cam track 210, which co-operates with a follower 208 mounted on a pivoted drive arm 202. A shear drive link 192 is pivotally connected to the arm 202 and comprises arms 196. 198 mounted on either side of a pivot pin 194. The arms 198 receive pins 214 secured to a pair of shear blades 216, which co-operate with shear plates 222 to sever the slugs 38 from the carrier strips 36. The forming assembly.-As the slide 70 descends, the forming head 78 enters an aperture 236 in the leading blank 34. Working slides 76, 94, 104 descend in unison with the head 78, forcing the blank 34 into engagement with forming surfaces 238 on guides 234, so that portions 44 of the blank are moved into parallel relationship, thereby forming a socket or receptacle 34<SP>1</SP>. The slides continue downwardly through the guides 234 until lateral shoulders (242) on the slide 76 engage the upper surfaces of plates 232, Fig. 17 (not shown). The slides 94, 104 continue moving downwardly and the latter engage flanges 244 of the receptacle 34<SP>1</SP> to push it home into the hole 226, whereupon their movement is arrested. The slides 94 continue to descend and shoulders 246 thereon urge the side walls of the receptacle outwardly into firm engagement with the panel 28 and shape the receptacle internally to receive a plug. A second pair of shoulders 248 engage the slugs 38 to bend them outwardly at 45 degrees to secure the receptacle to the panel and the receptacle is locked in the hole 226 by resilient wing members 250 which engage the lower surface of the panel. As the slide 70 is withdrawn, the slides 76, 94, 104 are returned to their former relative positions by springs 82, 96, (108), Fig. 3 (not shown) and as the thrust from the device 58 is transmitted through them to the working slides, the springs determine the load exerted by these slides and act as overload release means.